U HINA'S 
DEMPTION 


'CHINA 


The  illustration  on  the  front  cover  has 
attached  to  it  the  following  story: 

Three  years  ago  the  mother  of  this  little 
girl  came  to  the  missionary  begging  her  to 
adopt  the  child.  The  missionary  replied : 
“Your  child  may  come  to  school,”  which 
pleased  the  mother.  The  child  came  and 
soon  learned  to  read  the  Bible  and  read  to 
her  parents  at  home.  The  father  before 
long  began  to  study  the  Book  and  soon 
joined  the  church,  and  a year  later  the 
mother  took  the  same  step.  Both  are  earn- 
est Christians,  the  mother  is  a member  of 
the  Women’s  Bible  Training  School,  hoping 
to  serve  later  as  a Bible  woman. 


The  Redemption  of  China 

OF  THE  SPIRIT 

What  is  meant  by  “the  redemption  of 
China”?  It  may  mean  the  planting  of  the 
Church  of  the  Living  God,  composed  of  dis- 
ciples “in  the  midst  of  a crooked  and  per- 
verse generation,  among  whom  they  shine 
as  lights  in  the  world.”  Or,  it  may  mean  the 
creation  of  a social  condition  in  which  good- 
ness and  mutual  service  are  triumphant. 
These  two  views  of  personal  and  social  sal- 
vation are  not  necessarily  in  conflict,  but 
the  latter,  if  it  is  to  come,  must  wait  for 
and  depend  on  the  former. 

After  twenty  centuries  of  Christianity  in 
the  lands  where  it  is  most  dominant  there 
exist  depths  of  vice  and  shame  as  horrible 
as  any  that  may  be  found  in  China.  The 
reason  is  obvious;  it  is  the  refusal  of  the 
individuals  concerned  or  responsible  to  yield 
to  the  personal  sway  of  the  Christ.  Mean- 
while, both  in  America  and  in  China,  “the 
Gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation 
to  everyone  that  believeth.” 

There  are  things  which  are  not  essential 
to  the  redemption  of  China,  and  which 
though  they  appear  as  benefits  may  even 
hinder  that  redemption.  The  first  of  these 
is  political  reformation.  Not  only  the 
Chinese,  but  many  friends  of  China  from 
other  lands  fondly  expected  the  revolution 
to  resolve  itself  into  a great  moral  revival. 
But  many  Chinese  who  were  ardent  republi- 
cans testify  that  corruption  is  as  rife  as 
during  Manchu  rule.  The  ideals  have  come, 
but  the  dynamic  is  not  sufficient. 

The  second  non-essential  is  a new  indus- 
trial or  economic  order.  Agriculture  is  the 

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great  vocation  of  China  and  for  the  most 
part  depends  on  primitive  methods.  In  in- 
dustrial life  both  artisans  and  merchants 
are  largely  in  the  era  of  the  small  shop  with 
a personal  bond  between  the  proprietor  and 
his  few  workmen.  Now  graft  on  this  social 
order  the  factory  system  of  the  Occident, 
with  the  bitterness  of  its  impersonal  con- 
flict between  capital  and  labor,  and  who 
dares  to  say  it  will  be  for  the  best?  If  be- 
coming rich  will  make  the  Chinese  good,  it 
will  be  the  first  time  that  this  old  world  has 
witnessed  that  miracle.  It  is  so  easy  and 
yet  so  fatal  to  confuse  material  progress 
with  moral  power.  The  fact  that  China  has 
6,300  miles  of  railroad  and  40,000  miles  of 
telegraph  does  not  of  necessity  help  to  bind 
its  people  closer  to  the  throne  of  God. 
These  may  even  become  chains  to  drag  them 
further  down. 

The  third  non-essential  to  the  redemption 
of  China  is  that  it  should  become  a strong 
military  nation.  It  is  still  being  said  that 
China  lacks  the  essentials  of  greatness  be- 
cause it  is  not  prepared  to  defend  itself  in 
fight  against  any  invader.  The  Chinese 
are  a peace-loving  race  accustomed  to  mind 
their  own  business,  who  prefer  earning  a 
living  to  running  amuck  in  conquest.  Can- 
not China  be  great,  or,  what  is  still  better, 
useful  in  the  world  without  striding  into  the 
arena  of  nations  like  a pirate  in  the  main? 
Say  to  the  Chinese  that  you  come  to  make 
his  nation  like  those  of  the  West,  and  he  is 
apt  to  thank  you  to  spare  your  pains.  But 
hold  up  the  mirror  of  the  Bible,  showing 
what  man  is  and  what  he  ought  to  be,  and 
tell  him  that  you  long  to  make  his  people 
like  Jesus  of  the  Orient  and  you  meet  him 
on  a different  plane. 

The  Christian  Church  is  under  no  obliga- 
tion to  supply  all  the  needs  of  China,  but  it 
is  the  only  agency  able  to  provide  the 

2 


spiritual  needs  of  that  land,  able  to  infuse 
the  life  and  dynamic  without  which  these 
other  things  either  will  not  come  or  com- 
ing will  be  curses. 

The  essential  item  in  the  redemption  of 
China  is  giving  the  Gospel  to  every  one  who 
mil  accept.  The  fact  of  sin  and  its  results 
are  writ  deep  in  the  hearts  of  the  Chinese 
and  wide  across  their  land.  Though  they 
sometimes  try  to  dodge  the  statement  “You 
are  a sinner,”  put  it  in  the  form  of  “All 
men  are  sinners”  and  it  is  universally  ad- 
mitted. The  battle  of  the  will  must  be 
fought  out,  the  proud,  rebellious  human  will 
must  be  brought  to  yield  itself  to  the  Divine 
will.  What  all  our  mission  work  in  China 
needs  is  the  inrushing  of  a deeper,  simpler, 
more  direct  tide  of  evangelistic  service.  And 
the  one  whose  hands  manage  the  Board’s 
treasury,  and  whose  eyes  have  seen  the 
Lord’s  doings  in  China  says — “Extension  of 
the  evangelistic  work  and  the  gathering  to- 
gether of  small  congregations  in  a large 
number  of  cities  and  towns,  under  the  young 
men  who  have  had  training  in  our  own 
theological  schools,  seems  to  be  just  what 
ought  to  be  done.” 

The  progress  of  this  redemption  from  the 
hardest  and  humblest  of  beginnings  is  in- 
spiring. To-day  the  missionary  returns  with 
results  that  inspire  the  youth  of  the  Church 
to  go  and  encourage  Christians  to  give  with 
confidence;  but  what  did  Morrison  and  his 
early  successors  have  on  which  to  base  their 
appeal?  Nothing  of  success,  but  in  one 
hand  the  picture  of  the  needs  of  Christless 
lands,  in  the  other  the  Word  of  God.  Let  us 
rejoice  that  there  were  days  in  which  faith 
in  God  and  love  of  Christ,  apart  from  the 
touchstone  of  success,  could  hold  men  to  the 
path  of  duty  and  devotion.  From  the  time 
of  Morrison’s  toiling  in  secret  on  Bible 
translation,  on  to  the  end  of  thirty-five 

3 


years  of  missionary  labor,  there  were  only 
six  known  Chinese  Christians. 

But  God’s  geometrical  progression  was  at 
work  and  in  1900  one-tenth  or  more  of 
China’s  one  hundred  thousand  Protestant 
church  members  died  for  the  name  of  Christ. 
Within  eight  years  after  the  close  of  the 
Boxer  outbreak  more  Chinese  were  bap- 
tized into  the  Christian  church  than  had 
joined  it  during  the  fifty  preceding  years. 
This  advance  has  continued  to  the  present. 

Each  year  in  China  sees  Christian  wit- 
ness and  worship  started  in  an  increasing 
number  of  towns,  where  formerly  the  sab- 
bath was  unknown,  and  the  only  form  of 
worship  was  the  rites  offered  to  dead  idols 
and  grimy  ancestral  tablets.  These  congre- 
gations have  their  limitations,  but  they  are 
living  and  growing  institutions  among  stag- 
nant or  decaying  ones.  Two  facts  char- 
acterize their  life : first,  their  characters  and 
conduct  are  better  than  those  of  their  neigh- 
bors ; second,  their  study  of  a doctrine  throb- 
bing with  great  ideals  and  their  spiritual 
worship  are  a constant  rebuke  to  the  moral 
deficiency  and  craven  darkness  of  the  pre- 
vailing worship.  As  these  churches  grow 
in  strength  their  numbers  are  taking  up 
the  burden  of  self-support  and  going  out 
as  witnesses  in  the  regions  around — that 
shadow  land  that  as  yet  encircles  every 
center  of  light. 

The  wonder-working  Christ  is  walking 
through  the  foreign  field  to-day  and  is  re- 
vealed to  those  who  have  eyes  to  see  Him. 
The  Chinese  Church  is  and  will  be  a mis- 
sionary church.  They  are  going  forth  not 
simply  with  a doctrine,  but  with  an  ex- 
perience; to  proclaim  not  only  a Christ 
that  did,  but  also  a Christ  that  does. 

One  of  these  experiences  was  that  of  Mrs. 
Swen,  the  god-nurse  or  sorceress.  She  gives 
it  as  follows:  “At  twenty-four  I was  not 

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free,  at  twenty-six  I began  practicing  the 
black  arts,  at  fifty-eight  I was  converted, 
now  I am  sixty-two.”  “What  did  you  mean,” 
asked  I,  “about  your  not  being  free  at 
twenty-four?”  “Oh,”  she  said,  “from  that 
time  I served  the  devil.  I know  the  devil 
came  upon  me  in  the  cotton  field  as  I was 
picking  cotton.  I gnashed  my  teeth  and 
hit  my  face.  Two  people  could  not  hold  me 
nor  keep  me  from  hitting  my  face  until  I 
was  black  and  blue  for  days  afterwards. 
I did  not  fear  anything  when  the  devil 
came  upon  me.  I could  have  cut  myself 
if  I had  had  a knife.  I would  have  killed 
my  own  son  when  he  came  before  me 
at  such  times,  had  they  not  prevented.  In 
the  daytime  I did  not  wish  to  read,  that  is, 
go  through  the  Buddhist  chant,  but  in  the 
evening  I would  read.  So,  for  several  years 
I ate  medicine  saying  I was  sick,  but  medi- 
cine did  not  help  me.  Later  my  husband 
said,  ‘It  won’t  do,  let  us  prepare.  Our 
family  has  worshipped  now  for  four  gen- 
erations, we  shall  have  to  prepare.’  So  we 
got  bread  and  food  and  set  the  table  and 
burned  incense,  then  the  Evil-one  did  not 
hurt  me  any  more,  but  came  upon  me  to  do 
my  bidding.  People  from  different  direc- 
tions invited  me  to  look  after  their  sick. 
Before  going  I always  prepared  the  table, 
burned  incense,  and  at  last  I bowed  down 
knocking  my  head  to  the  ground,  asking 
him  which  is  the  devil,  to  go  with  me.  This 
I did  for  years.  When  my  son  talked  to  me 
about  another  worship,  I persecuted  him  for 
three  years.  At  last  I began  to  read  the 
catechism  and  my  son  prayed  for  me.  After 
I had  read  two  pages  some  one  invited  me 
to  chant  over  their  sick  and  I wished  to  go 
and  went.  But  I had  lost  my  power  with 
the  devil.”  “But,”  I said,  “did  you  get 
dreadfully  angry  or  swear  or  hit  or  do  what 
had  preceded  your  being  overcome  by  the 

5 


devil?”  “No,”  she  answered,  “there  was 
nothing.”  Mrs.  Wang,  the  school  teacher, 
interrupted  the  conversation  by  saying, 
“Just  think  what  I escaped.  When  I was 
twelve  years  old  my  father  was  converted 
and  from  the  beginning  he  was  very  much 
in  earnest.  I was  allowed  to  go  to  school 
and  at  home  I heard  the  word  of  God.” 
“Not  I,”  interposed  Mrs.  Swen,  “when  I 
was  little  I would  always  go  to  hear  the 
women  go  through  the  Buddhist  chant.  I 
do  not  remember  the  time  when  I could  not 
repeat  that.”  “Oh,”  I said,  “I  see  now  you 
had  the  devil’s  words  in  your  heart  so  finally 
he  overcame  you.  Jesus  says,  ‘If  you  abide 
in  me  and  My  words  abide  in  you,  'whatso- 
ever ye  ask  shall  be  done  unto  you.’  ” “Yes,” 
she  said,  “that  is  just  it!” 

For  over  a year  this  woman  has  been  go- 
ing to  different  homes  telling  people  to  re- 
pent. Her  efforts  are  fruitful,  as  many  who 
were  enslaved  in  various  ways  to  sin  are  in- 
terested. So  this  faithful  follower  is  trying 
to  live  in  the  fifteenth  of  John. 

Only  one  Mission  Society,  and  that  one 
working  exclusively  in  China,  has  as  large 
a force  of  missionaries  as  our  own  Church 
in  China.  Presbyterians  cannot  evade  re- 
sponsibility for  a portion  of  the  “region  be- 
yond.” The  China  Continuation  Committee 
in  its  report  on  Survey  of  the  Field  urgently 
appeals  for  the  entry  of  several  great  sec- 
tions. One-half  or  more  of  Yunnan  prov- 
ince is  utterly  untouched  and  it  connects  up 
with  vast  stretches  of  the  Lao  territory,  the 
same  race  as  those  of  our  North  Siam  Mis- 
sion for  which  Presbyterians  are  responsible. 
This  field  is  also  the  natural  gateway  to 
French  China  and  Annam,  which  are  still 
waiting  lands.  Missionaries  already  at  work 
are  straining  on  the  leash  to  enter  and  oc- 
cupy, but  the  church  at  home  holds  back. 
Perhaps  less  than  $5,000  a year  would  suf- 

6 


fice  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a new  mission, 
where  never  a sound  wave  wafts  the  name 
of  Jesus  from  lip  to  ear,  and  where  the 
printed  Word  is  practically  if  not  quite  un- 
known. 

If  America  has  outgrown  Christ,  let  us 
frankly  discard  Him,  but  if  we  still  need 
His  robe  of  righteousness  to  appear  before 
God,  then  let  us  feel  the  imperative  need  of 
drawing  that  same  robe  over  the  moral  and 
spiritual  nakedness  of  heathendom,  of  the 
nations  who  are,  like  China,  standing  at 
The  Parting  of  the  Ways. 

(REV.)  GEORGE  L.  GELWICKS, 

Hengchow-Hunan. 


OF  THE  BODY 


The  redemption  of  a nation  is  not  the 
work  of  a day,  nor  the  work  of  any  one  line 
of  action,  nor  of  any  one  set  of  influences. 
The  redemptive  power  we  all  recognize  to 
be  the  Spirit  of  the  Living  God,  but  He 
works  through  many  and  varied  agencies, 
and  every  missionary  from  his  own  experi- 
ence can  give  examples  of  how  one  or  an- 
other of  them  has  been  used  toward  the 
accomplishment  of  the  great  end. 

A medical  missionary’s  wife  in  one  of  the 
interior  cities  of  China  was  one  day  talking 
with  her  teacher,  a well  educated  Chinese 
gentleman,  about  Christianity  and  its  merits 
as  compared  with  the  religions  of  China. 

The  teacher  said,  “Mrs when  I 

see  your  husband,  the  doctor,  daily  in  the 
dispensary,  with  his  own  hands  washing 
and  dressing  the  sores  and  wounds  on  these 
dirty,  wretched  patients  that  no  Chinese 
gentleman  would  touch,  I know  that  Chris- 
tianity has  something  in  it  which  all  the 
religions  of  China  together  do  not  possess.” 

An  elderly  well  educated  Chinese  gentle- 
man, blind  with  cataract  in  both  eyes,  who 
was  once  well-to-do  and  occupied  a promi- 
nent position  in  society,  had  through  the 
defalcation  of  his  son,  a cashier  in  a bank, 
lost  all  his  money  and  been  reduced  to  al- 
most absolute  poverty.  An  operation  re- 
stored his  sight  and  during  the  days  spent 
in  the  hospital  he  eagerly  drank  in  the 
wonderful  news  of  Jesus  who  came  to  open 
the  blind  eyes  and  bring  salvation  to  the 
sons  of  men.  He  loved  to  compare  the  light 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  coming  into  his 
soul  to  the  light  of  the  natural  sun  as  it 
came  into  his  once  blind  eyes.  After  he  left 
the  hospital  he  went  up  and  down  the  streets 
of  his  city  preaching  Christ.  He  would  stop 
the  boys  on  the  street  and  say  to  them, 
“Boys,  do  you  see  my  eyes?  A few  months 

8 


ago  I was  blind,  stone  blind,  I couldn’t  see 
a thing;  now  I can  see  as  well  as  you  can. 
Do  you  know  what  opened  my  eyes?  The 
Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ.”  Thus  through  the  work  of  the 
medical  missionary  light  is  coming  into  the 
blind  eyes  and  souls  of  the  people  of  this 
great  land,  and  when  the  light  shall  have 
fully  come  the  redemption  of  the  nation  will 
have  been  accomplished. 

The  medical  missionary,  wherever  he  goes, 
by  precept  and  example  preaches  the  doc- 
trine of  cleanliness  and  sanitation.  This  in- 
fluence is  multiplied  many  fold  by  the  work 
of  the  Chinese  Christian  doctors,  graduates 
of  the  Mission  Medical  Colleges.  It  is  largely 
through  the  work  of  these  men  that  a great 
advance  has  been  made  in  the  sanitary  con- 
dition of  the  camps  and  barracks  of  the 
army.  The  grounds  are  drained  and  the 
water  supply  is  looked  after.  Dining  rooms 
and  kitchens  are  screened,  and  contagious 
diseases  are  isolated. 

In  the  streets  of  the  cities,  too,  fruit  and 
vegetables  offered  for  sale  in  the  markets 
are  now  often  covered  with  a mosquito  net 
whereas  they  were  formerly  covered  with 
a swam  of  the  ever  present  flies,  carriers 
of  disease  and  death.  It  is  too  much  to  say 
that  things  are  kept  clean,  but  the  gospel  of 
“cleanliness  which  is  next  to  godliness”  is 
constantly  preached  and  is  slowly  getting 
into  the  hearts  and  lives  of  the  people. 

One  of  the  greatest  needs  of  China  to- 
day is  the  well  qualified  Christian  physician. 
One  has  only  to  know  the  work  and  influence 
of  the  ordinary  Chinese  doctor  to  realize 
this.  Here  is  one  of  their  prescriptions: 

“For  Indigestion:  Catch  a toad,  lay  him 
on  his  back,  punch  him  three  times  in  the 
stomach  with  a stalk  of  the  sorghum  plant. 
Then  wrap  the  toad  in  yellow  earth  and 
bind  him  tightly  with  a string.  After  bum- 

9 


ing  him  to  death  in  the  fire  throw  the  re- 
mains of  the  toad  away,  but  put  the  yellow 
earth  in  water  and  take  a spoonful  fre- 
quently.” 

Over  against  this  is  the  influence  of  a 
graduate  of  one  of  our  Christian  medical 
schools  as  he  comes  into  the  home  to  treat  a 
patient.  In  addition  to  the  prescription  he 
writes,  he  shows  a kindly  sympathy  for  the 
man.  He  gives  him  earnest  advice  as  to  the 
necessity  of  cleanliness,  fresh  air  and  whole- 
some food,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  be- 
fore he  goes  speaks  to  him  of  the  great 
Physician  to  whom  we  should  all  look  for 
healing  for  our  souls  as  well  as  for  our 
bodies.  What  a force  in  the  redemption  of 
the  nation  it  would  be  if  all  the  doctors 
were  of  this  type  instead  of  the  other. 

The  Mission  Medical  Schools  cannot  hope 
to  meet  this  great  need  for  Christian  physi- 
cians throughout  the  land.  What  they  do 
hope,  however,  and  what  they  are  actually 
doing  is  to  set  the  standard  for  more  schools 
to  furnish  men  who  will  be  leaders  in  this 
work,  men  who  will  use  their  influence  to 
have  the  medical  education  which  shall  be 
given  the  young  men  of  China,  a Christian 
education  also. 

There  are  now  several  well  equipped  up- 
to-date  medical  colleges,  with  a good  corps 
of  instructors  and  with  an  aggregate  of 
between  four  and  five  hundred  students  who 
are  receiving  a thorough  medical  education 
under  Christian  influences.  This  is  one  of 
the  most  inspiring  things  in  all  the  mis- 
sionary work  now  being  carried  on  in  China. 
Would  that  the  great  Presbyterian  church 
might  see  the  wonderful  possibilities  in  giv- 
ing a Christian  medical  education  to  the 
young  men  of  China.  All  will  admit  that  a 
Christian  physician  in  a community  is  one 
of  the  greatest  forces  for  good  that  that 
community  can  have.  Every  one  will  also 

10 


sadly  admit  that  an  irreligious  or  sceptical 
physician  in  a community  can  be  a mighty 
force  for  evil  in  that  community.  The 
moral  is  plain.  This  is  the  time  for  the 
church  to  stand  by  this  great  work  and  see 
that  the  young  men  who  go  out  to  minister 
to  the  physical  ailments  of  the  people  of 
this  nation  shall  also  be  men  who  can  do 
great  things  for  their  spiritual  and  moral 
uplift. 

C.  F.  JOHNSON,  M.D., 
Tsinanfu,  Shantung. 


11 


OF  SOCIETY  AND  THE  HOME 


The  problem  of  how  to  reach  China’s 
women  is  still  a burning  one  despite  many 
opening  doors.  The  tiny-footed  lady  with 
vision  narrowed  within  the  four  walls  like 
a bird  in  a cage;  the  woman  who  has 
nothing  to  do  but  spend  hours  combing  her 
hair,  touching  the  rouge  in  just  the  right 
spot  on  lip  and  eyelid;  where  shall  we  find 
a point  of  contact  with  her?  She  may  have 
a passing  interest  in  the  barbarian  from 
far  away  America.  She  seems  to  listen 
politely,  but  her  mind  is  busy  comparing 
her  daintily  embroidered  satin  slippers  with 
the  great  leather  shoes  fitted  for  tramping 
the  vile  streets  which  her  visitor  wears. 
She  compares  her  satin  skirt  with  the 
other’s  wool  one,  her  trim,  neat  fur-lined 
jacket,  with  the  other’s  loose  cloak.  She 
can  hardly  restrain  her  fingers  from  feeling 
if  the  waist  is  boned,  wondering  meanwhile, 
“Does  she  never  comb  her  hair?” 

She  knows  her  soft,  plump  hands  and 
long  finger  nails  are  more  lady-like  than 
her  guests’  boney  ones.  The  high,  straight 
nose  is  the  only  thing  she  finds  to  admire, 
and  when  her  efforts  to  converse  about  such 
things  are  coolly  met,  she  trails  off  into 
bored  silence.  Where  again  find  a point  of 
contact? 

And  the  other  woman ! The  woman  rising 
early  with  perhaps  half  of  a sweet  potato  on 
which  to  begin  the  day’s  work;  the  woman 
of  whose  children  half  are  dead,  and  the 
other  half  are  cold  and  hungry,  whose  heart 
is  calloused  and  hard,  full  of  superstition 
and  dread;  the  woman  who  must  slave  early 
and  late  to  keep  the  wolf  from  the  door; 
how  find  a point  of  contact  with  her? 

MISS  J.  RICKETTS, 

Hangchow. 


12 


My  acquaintance  with  Chinese  women 
began  in  the  early  eighties.  Those  women 
are  great  grandmothers  now — if  any  sur- 
vive. Shall  we  contrast  them  with  the 
women  of  New  China? 

There  are  still  millions  and  millions  of 
women,  far  removed  from  all  churches  and 
schools  and  from  the  wide  spreading  in- 
fluences of  Missionary  Stations — who  are 
still  unchanged,  in  ideas,  in  customs  or  con- 
ditions. They  are  still  shut  in;  leading  the 
deadly  monotonous  life  of  the  inner  courts; 
being  slaves  to  superstitious  fears  of 
ghosts,  of  demons,  of  spirits — and  having 
the  deadening  belief  of  fatalism.  They  suf- 
fer dumbly,  ignorant  of  the  causes,  or  of  a 
cure,  for  their  sufferings. 

To  illustrate  this  awful  fear:  One  of  our 
humble  Christian  women,  very  poor,  who 
had  to  work  hard  to  make  her  living,  came 
smiling  into  the  waiting  room  before  church 
time.  Instead  of  her  poor,  shabby  clothes, 
she  was  comfortably  dressed — looked  well 
fed,  and  had  a general  prosperous  look. 
She  explained  that  the  “widow’s  family 
where  she  sometimes  got  work,  had  taken 
her  in  and  were  treating  her  like  a guest. 
Because,  you  know,  I am  not  afraid  of  any- 
thing. Their  women’s  quarters  are  supposed 
to  be  haunted  by  the  spirit  of  one  of  their 
family— a daughter-in-law,  who  committed 
suicide  in  there  long,  long  ago.  When  they 
hear  the  least  noise  they  are  terror-stricken. 
I just  go  calmly  and  investigate  proving  to 
them  that  it  is  just  some  common  cause — 
nothing  unusual  at  all  and  telling  them  that 
we  are  all  in  Gods  hands.  He  loves  us  bet- 
ter than  our  own  fathers  and  mothers  and 
watches  over  us.  Then  I read  them  verses 
that  say  so — and  that  He  watches  over  and 
cares  for  us,  and  even  the  sparrows — that 
bright-day  and  black-night  are  all  the  same 
to  Him.  Oh,  I have  a splendid  chance  to 

13 


preach  the  doctrine.  They  cannot  hear 
enough  about  it,  especially  at  night.”  The 
widow  kept  her  a long  time,  and  invited  me 
to  visit  them  frequently — eventually  they 
came  to  my  house,  and  attended  church,  and 
believed ! 

All  women  influence  their  homes.  Only 
Christian  women  feel  they  have  a duty  to 
influence  outsiders. 

Once,  at  a Women’s  Conference,  a Chris- 
tian Elder,  who  held  official  rank,  came  in 
to  address  us.  When  he  faced  that  large 
audience  of  women  and  girls  literally  packed 
in  tight,  each  with  her  Bible  and  hymn  book, 
and  realized  there  were  many  delegates  from 
other  churches  among  them  and  they  repre- 
sented many  times  that  number,  he  ex- 
claimed in  a burst  of  oratory:  “This  is  a 
sign — a promise,  an  assurance  of  China’s 
salvation.  This  is  what  will  put  a flavor 
into  the  homelife — the  village  life  of  all  the 
provinces.  I joy  and  rejoice  that  all  of  the 
eighteen  provinces  have  many  and  many 
groups  of  women  like  you,  whose  lives  are 
harmonious,  whose  homes  are  happy  with 
Christian  songs,  and  mutual  love  and  help- 
fulness. You  take  the  time  to  come  here  to 
cultivate  your  hearts  and  minds;  to  learn 
more  of  your  duties  as  mothers  and  church 
women ; to  consult  together  as  to  best  means 
to  bring  up  your  families;  to  conduct  your 
homes  and  to  wait  upon  the  Lord  that  He 
may  show  you  His  will  concerning  you.” 

In  closing  he  said:  “These  nearby  vil- 
lages are  all  humming  like  swarming  bees 
in  curiosity.  ‘What  are  they  doing  over  at 
the  church  at  Shin  Tau?’  At  the  close  of 
this  session  this  afternoon  let  us  all  walk 
over  to  the  nearest  village  and  give  them  a 
chance  to  ask  us  questions.  You  little  girls 
talk  to  little  girls  and  you  older  girls  talk 
with  the  older  girls,  let  the  women  seek 
those  of  their  own  age  as  they  will  naturally, 

14 


while  I will  get  some  Christian  men  and 
boys  to  take  care  of  that  side  of  it.  We  will 
go  over,  sing  a song  as  we  enter  the  village, 
and  may  God  guide  us  all  to  do  the  right 
thing,  and  may  their  curiosity  lead  them  to 
look  into  this  religion  each  for  himself!” 
They  were  cordially  received  and  visited  two 
other  villages  on  two  other  days. 

For  helpers  in  New  China  we  must  look 
to  the  women  who  have  come  from  Christian 
homes;  who  have  attended  school  and  have 
come  to  feel  that  they  are  part  of  a Big 
Thing;  that  lots  of  others  are  helping  too; 
that  other  communities  are  receiving  great 
blessings. 

President  Yuan  Shi  Kai  did  women  a won- 
derful lot  of  good  by  issuing  a proclama- 
tion: That  he  should  give  preference  to 
men  who  had  educated  wives  with  unbound 
feet,  when  he  appointed  his  officials.  And 
he  did,  too.  He  made  best  use  of  men  who 
had  been  educated  abroad. 

The  Republic  decreed  that  girls’  schools 
should  be  established  throughout  China. 
Special  School  Boards  of  progressive  men 
were  appointed  to  look  after  girls’  schools. 
The  Missions  were  the  only  sources  where 
teachers  could  be  obtained. 

The  first  time  Christian  women  in  China 
realized  their  own  numbers  and  ability  to 
act  together  as  an  organization  was  in  1894, 
when  they  combined  to  send  a beautifully 
gotten  up  special  edition  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, richly  bound,  to  the  Empress  Dowager 
on  the  occasion  of  her  Jubilee  celebration. 
Printed  on  the  gold  plate  that  was  set  in 
the  silver  covers  was  “From  your  most 
loyal  subjects,  the  Christian  women  of  your 
Empire,”  etc.  (literally  translated). 

Since  then  the  idea  has  grown — conven- 
tions, conferences,  interdenominational 
(what  a cumbersome  word!  May  it  soon  be 
changed  to  United  Church)  meetings  con- 

15 


ducted  by  the  women  for  the  women,  have 
shown  that  the  enlightened  women  are  com- 
ing into  their  own,  are  “making  good,”  as 
Americans  say. 

The  Christian  religion  and  women’s 
heaven-born  virtue  and  ability,  are  the  only 
things  that  will  crack  and  crumble  down  the 
stone  wall  prisons  of  women’s  souls  erected 
by  men. 

The  Christian  religion  will  do  it,  as  peace- 
fully, as  noiselessly,  as  effectively  as  warm, 
life-giving,  sunshine  will  melt  the  thickest 
ice,  and  make  the  women  a helpful  factor  in 
China’s  redemption. 

(Mrs.  Paul  D.)  MARY  I.  BERGEN, 
Weihsien,  Shantung. 


The  Woman’s  Society  of  the  church  at 
Shanghai,  China,  is  a Missionary  Society, 
an  Aid  Society  and  a Mother’s  Club  all  in 
one.  It  also  combines  the  social  element. 
The  subjects  are  varied,  the  meetings  are 
held  in  the  homes  of  the  members.  At  each 
meeting  the  whole  membership  sews  for  an 
hour  on  quilts  and  garments  to  be  dis- 
tributed to  the  poor  and  needy  at  Christmas 
time.  At  that  time,  too,  the  women  bring 
outgrown  garments  neatly  mended  and  re- 
paired. These  are  to  be  given  away  and 
the  generosity  of  the  women  seems  in  some 
cases  to  exceed  their  means. 

One  little  widow  who  makes  tiger  shoes 
for  infants  in  order  to  support  herself  and 
two  small  children  last  year  donated  several 
pairs  of  the  quaint  little  shoes  as  well  as 
some  shoes  and  stockings  for  older  children 
and  some  new  garments.  Her  children  used 
their  own  holiday  money  to  buy  the  mate- 
rial for  the  new  garments  and  did  as  much 
as  they  could  to  help  in  the  sewing.  In 
fact,  the  small  daughter  helps  her  mother 

16 


in  the  daily  task  of  making  shoes.  She  is 
able  to  embroider  the  top  edge.  This  gift 
means  great  sacrifice,  for  they  cannot  at- 
tend the  Mission  schools  because  the  fees 
are  more  than  they  can  afford. 

(MRS.)  J.  M.  ESPEY, 

Shanghai. 


17 


OF  EDUCATION  AND  SOCIAL  REFORM 
The  New  Agricultural  Movement 

The  inmates  of  the  Widow’s  Home  in 
Ningpo  earn  money  for  their  church  offer- 
ings by  making  shoe  soles.  This  is  hard 
work,  the  week’s  output  of  about  two  pairs 
of  soles  netting  only  ten  cents  of  American 
money.  One  of  these  women,  almost  blind, 
made  ten  pairs  of  soles,  nearly  five  weeks’ 
work,  and  brought  them  to  me  as  her  offer- 
ing to  the  orphans,  an  expression  of  her 
gratitude  for  what  she  is  receiving  in  the 
Home. 

It  is  good  to  see  these  women  getting 
their  place  ready  each  Monday  afternoon  for 
the  evangelistic  meeting,  inviting  the  neigh- 
bors in,  making  tea,  etc.  All  the  work  is 
done  by  these  five  old  widows,  and  their 
rooms  are  perfectly  clean  and  tidy,  an  ob- 
ject lesson  to  the  heathen  neighbors. 

(MISS)  EDITH  C.  DICKIE, 
Ningpo. 

During  the  winter  of  1911  a great  famine 
came  upon  all  the  region  north  of  the 
Yangtse  River.  Thousands  of  people 
perished  by  starvation,  and  famine  relief 
was  taken  up  in  a most  systematic  way, 
working  through  a central  committee  in 
Shanghai. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Bailie  of  the  Presby- 
terian Board  was  then  a teacher  of  mathe- 
matics in  the  Middle  School  of  the  Univer- 
sity at  Nanking.  A meeting  was  called  at 
the  American  Consulate  and  Mr.  Bailie  was 
given  the  leadership  of  plans  for  local  relief 
work,  some  funds  being  made  available  by 
the  General  Famine  Relief  Committee.  The 
following  year  land  was  granted  by  the 
Government  on  the  slopes  of  Purple  Moun- 
tain, outside  the  City  of  Nanking. 

18 


It  was  a task  for  giants  to  make  soil 
deep  enough  to  grow  crops  on  this  moun- 
tain, but  to-day  you  can  take  a carriage  and 
ride  out  of  the  city  far  up  the  sides  of 
Purple  Mountain,  between  thrifty  fruit 
trees,  thousands  of  them  growing  sturdily, 
and  see  the  little  homes  of  the  farmers 
who  work  the  land. 

In  the  spring  of  1915  the  Governor  Gen- 
eral of  the  Philippines  sent  a Yale  College 
man,  who  is  at  the  head  of  the  forestry 
department  in  Manila  to  investigate  condi- 
tions in  China  with  a view  to  co-operating 
in  a school  of  forestry.  Through  the  energy, 
skill  and  perseverance  of  Mr.  Bailie  cor- 
dially and  actively  supported  by  influential 
Chinese  and  by  the  University,  a depart- 
ment of  forestry  was  opened  in  the  Univer- 
sity during  the  school  year  of  1914-15.  This 
has  resulted  in  a College  of  Agriculture  and 
Forestry,  as  a part  of  Nanking  University, 
with  a full-time  faculty  and  an  enrollment 
of  52  students,  40  in  the  forestry  classes 
and  12  of  them  agricultural  students. 

A Chinese  student,  recently  returned  from 
America,  has  taken  charge  of  the  teaching 
of  the  plant  sciences.  Among  the  students 
are  those  sent  by  the  Ministry  of  Agricul- 
ture and  Commerce,  Peking;  by  the  Gov- 
ernors of  Anhwei,  Shantung,  Kweichow, 
Szechuen,  Kiangsu;  and  the  Forest  Fund 
Committee  of  Shanghai.  The  Governor  of 
Kiangsu  made  a donation  of  $500  to  the 
University  for  the  agricultural  and  forestry 
work. 

It  will  fall  to  the  lot  of  very  few  to  do 
what  Mr.  Bailie  has  done  in  the  last  four 
years;  after  seeing  the  famine  out  to  or- 
ganize the  Colonization  Association  of 
China,  with  two  branch  colonies;  to  open 
the  College  of  Agriculture  in  the  Univer- 
sity, to  be  followed  in  less  than  a year  by 
a College  of  Forestry,  for  all  of  which  he 

19 


has  received  official  recognition  by  the  Gov- 
ernment and  financial  help  to  further  his 
work.  Over  70%  of  the  expenses  of  this 
department  of  the  University  is  met  from 
Chinese  sources. 

During  the  winter  of  1915-16  literature 
dealing  with  Chinese  agricultural  and  for- 
estry problems,  prepared  by  the  College  of 
Agriculture  and  Forestry,  has  been  regu- 
larly sent  out  to  over  230  Chinese  news- 
papers and  magazines,  twenty-odd  governors 
and  a number  of  Chinese  agricultural  ex- 
periment stations.  They  have  been  widely 
published  and  used.  In  a number  of  cases 
the  provincial  governors  voluntarily  sent 
them  out  under  their  own  seals,  as  official 
announcements  to  the  people. 

Mr.  John  H.  Reisner  of  the  University  in 
his  report  for  the  year  says: 

“By  no  means  the  least  delightful  part  of 
our  work  is  to  watch  the  new  students  ad- 
just themselves  to  the  environment  of  a 
Christian  school.  It  is  a big  change  from 
their  previous  government-school  experi- 
ence, where  a number  of  them  from  all  in- 
dications had  undertaken  no  small  share  in 
the  administration  of  affairs  which  is  usually 
looked  after  by  teachers  and  other  officers 
of  the  school,  and  where  no  Christian  and 
probably  no  moral  or  ethical  instruction  had 
been  given. 

We  cannot  appreciate  too  much  how  well 
*Dr.  Williams  led  them  into  the  teachings 
and  spirit  of  Christ,  displacing  their  sus- 
picions and  gaining  their  interest.  After 
his  return  to  the  United  States,  when  the 
class  was  re-organized,  they  elected  a Presi- 
dent and  Secretary,  both  of  whom  had  been 
sent  by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and 
Commerce  at  Peking,  and  are  glad  to  hold 
and  acknowledge  the  responsibility  of  such 

*Dr.  Williams  (Rev.  J.  E.,  D.D.)  is  the  Vice-President 
of  the  University. 


20 


offices  of  a Bible  class.  Eight  of  the  students 
are  now  church  members,  and  we  feel  that 
before  long  many  more  will  come  forward 
and  take  a definite  Christian  stand.  Eight 
may  not  seem  many,  but  these  are  numbered 
among  the  strongest  and  most  active  Chris- 
tians in  the  University. 

I believe  the  missionary  church  of  God 
will  come  more  and  more  to  see  that  there 
are  more  open  gateways  into  the  hearts  of 
China’s  three  hundred  millions  of  rural  pop- 
ulation through  agriculture,  in  which  they 
‘live  and  move  and  have  their  being,’  than 
through  any  other  approach — for  on  this 
population  the  self-supporting  and  self- 
propagating  future  Chinese  native  Chris- 
tian church  will  depend  in  greatest  meas- 
ure.” 

Report  of  Nanking  Station. 

Educated  Wives 

The  young  men  of  China  are  asking  for 
educated  wives.  The  father  of  one  of  the 
students  in  the  English  School  at  Chefoo 
recently  received  a letter  as  follows: 

“My  fiancee  must  be  educated.  If  her 
parents  are  not  willing  to  send  her  to 
school  I will  meet  the  expense.  If  necessary 
have  her  come  to  our  own  home  and  have 
my  mother  take  charge  of  her.  Failing  in 
this  the  betrothal  must  be  broken.  My 
future  prospects  will  be  greatly  marred  by 
an  uneducated  wife.” 

This  is  strong  language  for  a Chinese 
boy,  but  he  is  a fourth-generation  Christian. 
His  great  grandfather  is  Elder  Lim  Ching 
San,  the  oldest  Christian  in  Shantung  and 
one  of  the  first  students  of  theology.  The 
young  man  has  cousins  in  American  col- 
leges and  he  is  himself  ambitious.  What 
he  proposes  are  extreme  measures  viewed 
from  the  Chinese  standpoint.  There  is  no 

21 


school  for  his  fiancee  to  attend  except  to  go 
to  Chefoo  and  there  she  must  go  to  the 
Southern  Baptist  Girls’  School  if  they  have 
room  for  her.  There  are  other  cases  like 
this  and  the  Presbyterians  in  Chefoo  have 
no  school  between  the  piumary  and  high- 
school  grades. 

Report  of  Chefoo  Station. 


Vocational  Work 

The  True-Model  School,  under  the  direc- 
tion and  control  of  the  Bi-Z  Church  of 
Hangchow,  China,  opened  in  March  last  a 
vocational  school  or  department.  This  Trade 
School  opened  with  twenty  pupils,  twelve  of 
whom  were  assigned  to  the  carpenter  shop 
and  eight  to  the  printing  department.  After 
a visit  to  the  School  of  Industry  in  Shanghai 
and  seeing  the  rug-making  classes,  the  Rev. 
J.  H.  Judson  investigated  the  possibilities 
of  adding  this  department  to  the  Trade 
School.  A teacher  was  engaged  to  come 
from  Shantung  who  had  been  trained  in 
Shanghai.  He  brought  with  him  about  600 
pounds  of  yarn  to  begin  work.  In  the  mean- 
time a man  had  been  procured  from  a village 
across  the  river  from  Hangchow,  to  come 
and  teach  the  preparation  of  the  raw  hair 
and  the  spinning  of  it  into  yarn.  Two 
pupils  were  taken  from  the  carpenter  de- 
partment and  four  from  the  printing  de- 
partment to  constitute  the  new  classes  in 
rug-making  and  yarn-spinning.  The  attempt 
has  been  successful. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  in  this 
new  undertaking  is  to  get  the  boys  to  under- 
stand what  was  to  be  their  position  in  this 
new  kind  of  school.  They  did  not  seem  to 
think  at  first  that  they  were  under  dis- 
cipline. This  is  a new  feature  in  school  life 
in  China,  and  something  they  will  have  to 
learn  more  and  more  of  as  they  go  on. 

22 


An  agreement  has  been  drawn  up  be- 
tween the  native  Chinese  church  and  the 
Mission  as  to  the  use  of  the  buildings  owned 
by  the  Mission  and  also  the  special  Fund 
for  the  Trade  School.  There  was  no  squab- 
bling whatever  over  small  technicalities,  but 
an  open,  earnest  desire  to  have  all  matters 
plainly  understood.  It  is  the  earnest  hope 
of  all  concerned  that  the  True-Model  School 
in  all  its  branches  will  prove  to  be  so  not 
only  in  name,  but  in  reality. 

(REV.)  J.  H.  JUDSON, 

Hangchow. 


Total  Abstinence 

The  Presbyterian  Mission  Schools  in 
Shanghai,  together  with  other  schools  in 
their  neighborhood,  have  taken  a live  inter- 
est in  the  question  of  total  abstinence.  This 
has  been  fostered  by  the  Chinese  teachers, 
and  several  mass  meetings  have  been  held 
in  the  Women’s  Bible  School.  Every  student 
of  this  School  took  the  pledge,  albeit  some 
of  the  older  women  have  in  the  past  very 
much  liked  wine  and  come  from  homes 
where  it  will  be  very  hard  to  have  their  new 
point  of  view  understood. 

The  President  and  Secretary  of  the  Na- 
tional Women’s  Christian  Temperance  So- 
ciety at  different  times  visited  the  School 
and  held  a series  of  meetings.  “Miss  Chun 
was  booked  for  a meeting  in  our  church,” 
writes  Miss  Silver,  “the  Sunday  afternoon 
Synod  met  with  us.  The  gallery  was  opened 
to  ministers  and  other  gentlemen  who  wished 
to  be  present,  and  next  morning  each  mem- 
ber of  the  Synod  was  presented  with  an 
envelope  addressed  to  him  personally,  and 
containing  a few  articles  bearing  on  the 
subject  of  the  harmfulness  of  wine  drink- 
ing. These  came  from  the  Women’s  Society 
in  the  Bible  School,  but  we  felt  God  sent 

23 


them  through  us,  for  that  very  morning, 
unknown  to  us,  there  was  presented  from 
the  women  of  the  Mission  Press  Church,  a 
petition  to  the  members  of  the  Synod  to  ex- 
press themselves  and  to  work  for  the  aboli- 
tion of  the  use  of  liquors,  especially  as  now 
the  importation  of  foreign  liquors,  which  are 
much  more  harmful  than  the  native  wines, 
is  rapidly  on  the  increase.  This  awakened 
some  discussion,  as  several  of  the  ministers 
have  themselves  been  accustomed  all  their 
lives  to  use  the  light  wines  of  China.” 

EMMA  A.  SILVER, 

Shanghai. 


24 


Hospital  Building  in  connection  with  the  I nion  Medical  College 
Tsinan.  China 


Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
of  the 

Presbyterian  Church  in  the  l.  S.  A 
156  Fifth  Avenue.  New  York 


Form  24TS 


December,  lain 


